Bridges of Vladivostok: giants that have become the main attractions of the city

It is impossible to imagine Vladivostok without bridges. They do not just connect coasts and islands, but form a recognizable appearance of the city by the sea. Each bridge in Vladivostok is an engineering achievement, a popular attraction, and a mandatory point for sightseeing walks. The three bridges of Vladivostok became symbols of the city, its scale, ambitions and the Far Eastern character.

Bridges of Vladivostok: three iconic buildings of the city

The bridges of Vladivostok appeared as a response to the complex terrain and growing needs of the city. Each of them solved a specific transport problem, but over time became an independent point of attraction for tourists. Today, the sights of Vladivostok cannot be imagined without cable-stayed structures, panoramic views and observation platforms overlooking the bridge.
 

Three main bridges of the city:

• The Golden Bridge across Zolotoy Rog Bay;
• The Russian Bridge leading to Russky Island;
• The low-water bridge across Amur Bay.

The Golden Bridge of Vladivostok: history, architecture and city records

The Golden Bridge is one of the most recognizable cable-stayed bridges in the world. The idea of its construction appeared at the end of the XIX century, but the project was implemented only in the XXI century, in preparation for the APEC summit. The bridge was officially opened in August 2012.

💡 Interesting fact: throughout the construction of the bridge had no official name. The city hall and initiative groups of citizens conducted online surveys with variants of the name. The name "Golden Bridge" was officially approved on September 3, 2012.

Characteristics of the Golden Bridge:

• 64.25 m - height of the bridge size (suitable for vessels of any size)
• 1388.09 m - bridge length
• 2.1 km - length of the bridge crossing
• 6 - lanes (3 in each direction)
• 737 m - main span
• up to 47 m/s - wind load
• 8 points - seismic load
• closed to pedestrians

Now citizens are sure that this form of pylons was chosen not by chance and symbolizes Vladivostok, which is often called the “city of V”.

The bridge quickly entered the city life and became a platform for major events. There was a flash mob, included in the Guinness Book of Records, and in 2025, the bridge supports near Svetlanskaya Street were decorated with large-scale murals as part of the street art festival.

💡 Tip: in the evening, the Golden Bridge is especially spectacular - the backlight emphasizes the geometry of the structure and creates expressive night views.

Russian Bridge of Vladivostok: world-class record holder

Russian Bridge connects the mainland of Vladivostok with Russky Island. Its construction has become one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country.

💡 Interesting fact: During the construction of the Russian Bridge, the technology of drilling wells in the open sea was used for the first time in Russia. Also, to build one of the pylons, the builders had to create an artificial peninsula.

The opening took place in 2012, and since then the bridge has become one of the world record holders. The central span of the Russian Bridge is 1,104 meters - a record among the cable-stayed bridges of the world. Prior to this, the palm of the championship belonged to the Chinese Sutong Bridge with a span length of 1088 m. Also, the Russian Bridge is included in the TOP-5 bridges in terms of the height of pylons and the length of the ropes.

Characteristics of the Russian Bridge:

• 70 m - the height of the bridge size (suitable for vessels of any size)
• 1885.53 m - the length of the bridge
• 3.1 km - the length of the bridge crossing
• 4 traffic lanes (2 on each side)
• 1104 m main span
• 2 pylons
• 168 cable stays
• Closed to pedestrians

High pylons, long cables and strict design graphics make it a real hallmark of the city. The bridge connects Vladivostok daily with the FEFU campus, the aquarium and the beaches of the island.

💡 Interesting fact: The Russian bridge is depicted on the banknote of 2000 rubles, which in 2017 appeared in the currency turnover of the country.

Low-water bridge across the Amur Bay: engineering pearl of Primorye

Low-water bridge is the longest of the three. It passes just five meters above the water and connects the Muravyov-Amursky peninsula with the De-Fries district. Thanks to this bridge, it was possible to relieve the main traffic flows and significantly improve the exit from the city.

The grand opening and commissioning of the structure took place on August 11, 2012. This bridge, the only low-water bridge in Russia, is among the ten longest bridges in the country!

Characteristics of the Low-water Bridge:

• 6 m - the height of the vault over the water
• 4380 m - the total length of the bridge
• 23.88 m - the width of the bridge
• 4 -  the traffic lane (on 2 each side)
• is closed to pedestrians

Due to its low height and length, the bridge creates an unusual visual effect: at a certain angle it seems as if it lies directly on the water. The gray-pearl color of the supports and open panoramas of the Amur Bay make it one of the most photogenic objects of Vladivostok.

3 Vladivostok bridges: admire, photograph and not only

The best viewpoints on the bridges open from the observation decks, embankments and hills of the city. Especially popular views of the Golden Bridge from the Golden Horn Bay: from the top of the Mountain Park and the Eagle's Nest observation deck.

💡We have prepared a map with the best viewpoints for each bridge - with their help you can easily find the optimal locations for walking and photography.

Best viewpoints overlooking the Golden Bridge

• Prospect of Beauty
• Vide area on the hill Eagle's Nest
• Tsarevich's Embankment
• The Ship's Embankment
• The Widing area at the Sea Station
• The Burgshoreside

Best viewpoints overlooking the Russian Bridge

• Nazimovsky Coast Battery
• Leopard Embankment
• The Beach of Pospelov Cape
• Novosiltsevsk Coastal Battery
• Tokarevsky Lighthouse
• Kholodilnik Hill

Best viewpoints overlooking the Low-water Bridge

• Sedanka Railway Station
• Fort No. 5 of the Vladivostok Fortress

💡Recommendation: Plan your sightseeing tour in clear weather—the views of the bridges are especially impressive at dawn and dusk.

In addition to walking and photography, there is an unusual format of acquaintance with bridges. Every year Vladivostok hosts the marathon Bridges of Vladivostok, the route of which runs along the Golden and Russian bridges. This is a rare opportunity to see the city from the road, usually closed to pedestrians, and feel the scale of the buildings firsthand.